Patents by Inventor Kevin D. McVicker

Kevin D. McVicker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5948257
    Abstract: The invention provides a high temperature, damage tolerant candle filter (4) made of a porous ceramic material which is designed so that, if it fails, it does not fail catastrophically. The ceramic candle filter includes a hollow tube (14) having an open end, a closed end and a porous outer wall therebetween. The porous wall is made of a fiber ceramic reinforcement material impregnated with ceramic particles and a fugitive material that is substantially removed from the fiber ceramic reinforcement material or partially converting into a permeable material to provide porosity. The reinforcement material is generally strong enough to absorb the initial explosion force created when the ceramic particle carrier fails during, for example, reverse pressurization of the candle filter, thereby preventing the ceramic pieces from becoming projectiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventors: Milton F. Custer, Kevin D. McVicker
  • Patent number: 5881775
    Abstract: A heat exchanger tube (2, 2a, 2b) is made using a hollow, impermeable, monolithic ceramic inner tube (4) and wrapping the inner tube with a circumferentially extending reinforcing material (12) impregnated with a slurry of ceramic particles, particle carrier medium and thermoset binder. The combination of the inner tube and the impregnated reinforcing material is first heated to solidify the thermoset binder. The combination is then sintered to drive off the particle carrier medium and themoset binder to create a two-layer heat exchanger tube including the inner tube and an outer tube (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas K. Owen, James R. Watts, Milton F. Custer, Kevin D. McVicker
  • Patent number: 5849375
    Abstract: Fluid permeable candle filter comprising a self supporting tube a filter layer and a filter layer. The self supporting tube comprises ceramic oxide fibers and silicate ceramic oxide bonding phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignees: Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company, Hexcel Corporation
    Inventors: Robert G. Smith, Joseph H. Eaton, Edward M. Fischer, Larry R. Visser, Venecia M. Grobelny, Kevin D. McVicker
  • Patent number: 5780126
    Abstract: Fluid permeable filter material comprising a self supporting fluid permeable wall and a fluid permeable filter layer. The self supporting wall comprises ceramic oxide fibers, ceramic oxide particles, and silicate ceramic oxide bonding phase. The filter layer comprises non-woven ceramic oxide fibers and silicate ceramic oxide bonding phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignees: Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing, Hexcel Corporation
    Inventors: Robert G. Smith, Joseph H. Eaton, Edward M. Fischer, Larry R. Visser, Venecia M. Grobelny, Kevin D. McVicker